Israelis Urge Netanyahu to Work With Obama

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli opposition leaders are demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu jettison his congressionally focused strategy of end-running the White House and launch immediate, constructive and intensive engagement with US President Barack Obama and his team aimed at improving a prospective nuclear deal with Iran.

In an April 12 position paper, leaders of the Zionist Camp — the left-of-center party forced to concede in last month’s election here to Netanyahu’s Likud — gave full support to their government’s struggle to extract stronger and verifiable preconditions for a gradual easing of sanctions against Tehran.

The three-part document — essentially a shadow foreign policy platform — emphasizes the consensus in Israel regarding the cardinal threat posed by Iran, not only with respect to its nuclear program, but to its support of proxy terrorist forces at Israel’s borders and beyond.

But as much as they back Israel’s re-elected leader on substance, they diverge radically on style.